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Short takes: Sponsorships help taxpayers, drivers

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Tuesday June 10, 2014 5:47 AM

Ohio is joining other states in inviting sponsorships of items that can help raise money for
road work.

With fuel-tax revenue leveling off and a long list of road projects needed to keep Ohio moving
and growing, the Ohio Department of Transportation has struck a deal with State Farm to sponsor its
service unit that handles such things as removing debris from roads and helping stranded motorists
with a gallon of gas.

Ohio’s State Farm Freeway Patrol will be among those in 12 states sponsored by the
Illinois-based insurer. The neighboring states of Pennsylvania and Indiana have similar sponsorship
deals with State Farm for their freeway-safety patrols.

State Farm will pay $850,000 a year to have its logo displayed on state vehicles, uniforms and
roadway signs, in addition to getting the service named after the company. That won’t cover the $4
million it costs annually to operate the program that assists close to 100,000 people per year, but
will cover more than 20 percent of the budget.

The Kasich administration would like to see more of these kinds of sponsorship deals for bridges
and rest areas. It makes sense. They essentially are an extension of the longstanding practice of
companies sponsoring cleanups on stretches of highway, and of the widespread use of sponsorship
deals to help finance stadiums and arenas.

These deals stretch taxpayer dollars and provide a direct benefit to residents and travelers in
Ohio.

Competing in the marketplace of ideas

Two top Columbus research institutions have found a novel way to spur even more innovation: make
a contest out of it. Both Battelle and Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center recently held
events that were showcases for the bright and potentially valuable new ideas of their researchers,
with cash prizes along with bragging rights to sweeten the pot.

Everyone’s a winner in these friendly competitions — not just those who are judged to have the
top inventions, but the institutions, the community and the public. If a researcher ends up
bringing his or her idea to market with the aid of one of these employers, it will provide
financial benefits to them, encourage more growth and jobs in central Ohio and could bring useful
new products and services to everyone.

Research scientists have the knowledge and the ability to innovate, but many say they’re not
accustomed to promoting themselves or their ideas. They’re more used to working on structured
projects as teams.

Michael Kuhlman, a chief scientist at Battelle who assisted with the research giant’s
competition, said that it “helps staff to be able to expand in a way they weren’t necessarily
trained to do.”

Columbus researchers have the brains and talent; engaging them in new and fun ways could result
in more innovations being developed and brought to market.